LAHORE:
At least five people, including a police officer, three Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) workers and a bystander, were killed when law enforcement carried out a major pre-dawn operation in Muridke on Monday to disperse what officials described as “armed and violent mobs”.
According to official sources, the crackdown came amid a multi-day protest march by TLP supporters moving from Lahore towards Islamabad in what the group called a pro-Palestine demonstration.
In a statement, the Punjab police spokesperson said the operation began after TLP workers “attacked security personnel with stones, spiked sticks and petrol bombs.”
Protesters, he claimed, opened “indiscriminate fire” on law enforcement when ordered to disperse, prompting a “limited defensive response” from forces.
During the shootout, a Station House Officer (SHO) was martyred, while 48 police and Rangers personnel sustained injuries, including 17 hit by gunfire. Three TLP protesters and a bystander also lost their lives, while eight civilians were injured.
“Law enforcement agencies were forced to act in self-defense. The operation was carried out to restore public safety and clear national highways,” the statement said.
Authorities added that rioters set fire to 40 government and private vehicles and multiple arrests were made. A search operation is still underway to locate those involved in the violence. “Punjab Police will never allow armed mobs to endanger the lives of citizens or disturb peace,” he concluded.
In a separate statement, Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar reiterated that TLP chief Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi was “safe and not in custody”, refuting viral social media claims about his arrest or injury. “The rumors are not true,” the IGP said, urging citizens to trust verified information.
The operation in Muridke triggered scattered protests in other parts of the country, including Karachi, where small groups blocked roads in northern Karachi and Nagan Chowrangi before being dispersed with tear gas. Two children were injured during stone-throwing incidents, while police arrested a dozen TLP supporters.
Subsequently, the police registered a case against the TLP leaders and workers at Muridke City Police Station on charges of terrorism and many other criminal charges.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), TLP workers allegedly attacked a police group, set government vehicles on fire and created chaos and fear among the public after authorities moved to disperse their protest camp near Muridke.
The report claimed that the mob was armed and resorted to violence when police attempted to clear the route. The protesters allegedly killed SHO Factory Area, damaged several police and private vehicles and took some officers hostage.
The police invoked sections 6 and 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997, along with 302 (murder), 435 (mischief by arson), 431 (public mischief) and many other sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), including 120B, 121A, 143, 147, 148, 149, 186, 427, 188 and 290, among others.
Police sources said the FIR also mentions the use of loudspeakers and violation of the Punjab Sound Systems Regulation Act, 2015 and the Punjab Public Order Maintenance Ordinance, 1960.
Following the registration of the case, large contingents of police were deployed in and around Muridke to maintain law and order.
Roads leading to the city remain blocked, while the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) has set up traffic diversions at multiple entry points into Lahore and adjoining districts. Police officials said raids were being carried out to arrest those involved in the violence.
In Islamabad and Rawalpindi, law enforcement agencies continued to enforce Section 144, sealing entry points and maintaining a state of alert around Faizabad and the Islamabad Expressway. The mobile Internet connection, which had been partially suspended in the twinned cities since Friday, was restored on Monday evening.
On Monday night, the highway police confirmed that traffic was flowing normally on M-2 (Lahore-Islamabad), M-3 (Lahore-Abdul Hakeem) and Lahore-Sialkot highways.
“All highways in Lahore are open for traffic and operations are normal,” highway police spokesperson Imran Shah told the media.
The restoration came after two days of intermittent closures and detours imposed to prevent the TLP convoy from advancing towards the capital.
The scale of street protests in Lahore appeared to diminish significantly on Monday night.
Police sources said the protests that broke out earlier in a dozen parts of the city had narrowed to three key locations – Shimla Pahari, Samanabad towards Scheme Mor and Thokar Niaz Beg – with small groups trying to block roads.
Authorities maintained a heavy police presence at these intersections, where minor skirmishes were reported but no major violence occurred. Traffic police said detours had been implemented and public transport had resumed normal operations.
Authorities sealed major entry points along GT Road and suspended internet access in several districts to prevent escalation. Despite repeated calls from the government, the group refused to disperse, leading to Monday’s operation in Muridke.
As calm returned to most of Punjab, officials said “state rule has been restored” but warned of further action against those inciting unrest. Meanwhile, human rights activists and opposition figures called for transparency and restraint in the treatment of detainees.
By late Monday night, Lahore’s roads were open and traffic on the highway network had returned to normal. However, heavy police deployment remained in Muridke, Shahdara and Samanabad amid fears of sporadic outbreaks.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said the government “will not allow anyone to hold the public hostage or attack the state.” He warned that those involved in armed resistance would be prosecuted under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).
The TLP launched its “long march” from Yateem Khana Chowk in Lahore on Friday, vowing to reach Islamabad to hold a sit-in in front of the US embassy in support of the Palestinians.
The group, led by Hafiz Saad Rizvi, son of the late arsonist cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi, has a history of disruptive protests over religious and foreign policy issues.
